In this Caregiver Community podcast, Frances S. Hall, Co-founder and Executive Director of ACAPcommunity, and Mark Bumgarner, Executive Director of Adult Life Programs in Hickory, NC, talk with Julie Packer, RN, MSN, Director of Professional Relations, Catawba Regional Hospice about how caregivers may best help loved ones with a variety of issues related to aging, particularly medical issues and decisions.

As an RN with a Master’s Degree in Oncology Nursing and more than 25 years as a nurse, Julie has spent most of her career focused on end of life care—at the bedside, in management positions, in program development, and most recently, in outreach education. As a Hospice nurse and the daughter of aging parents, Julie understands — professionally and personally — the need for effective communication with parents and their healthcare providers. This podcast provides strategies to help adult-children become strong caregivers, advocates and partners with their parents, healthcare professionals and others, ensuring loved ones receive the most respectful and effective care possible.